Progress



Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

 

Federal regulations require that all recipients of student financial assistance make satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or eligible certificate. Students applying for assistance through the Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG, Federal Work Study, Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (OTAG), Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan, Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, and Direct Parent PLUS Loan programs must meet
THREE requirements to maintain their financial aid eligibility at CSC. Rules are applied uniformly to all students whether or not aid has been received previously.

 


First
, students are required to maintain a minimum
cumulative grade point average.

Second
, students are required to complete (pass) a certain percentage of hours they attempt.

Third
, students must complete their degree within a timely manner. These three requirements are summarized in the following charts. Failure to meet
ANY/
ALL of these minimum academic standards will result in the loss of financial aid eligibility. Students are expected to know, based on this Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy, when they may be placed on financial aid warning, probation, or suspension.

Satisfactory academic progress is reviewed at the end of each academic semester once grades have been posted.

 


Qualitative and Quantitative Requirements

 

  1. GRADE POINT AVERAGE REQUIREMENT

Each student must meet a minimum cumulative grade point average to remain eligible for federal student aid. A Grade Point Average of a 2.0 is equivalent to a “C” average.


Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy Requirements


Undergraduate Students




Total Hours Attempted from ALL INSTITUTIONS

1-30 Credit Hours

31 Hours or more


Minimum Cumulative GPA Requirements

1.70 GPA

2.0


GPA

  1. SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF SEMESTER HOURS REQUIREMENT

Students must also successfully complete and pass
67% or 2/3 of

all courses
 they attempt. Grades of A, B, C, D, F, P, S, W, AW, WP, WF, I, N, NA, NP, X, and U are all considered attempted hours. All transfer hours are included in this calculation.

 

At the end of each semester, the Department of Information Technology will provide the Financial Aid Office with a list of students, attempted hours, completed hours, and cumulative GPA. This is what is used to determine SAP. Academic progress will be reviewed at the end of each academic year to determine future eligibility. Only classes a student is enrolled in after the 10
th day of class will be considered. Connors State College may disburse a Pell grant, Loan, etc. to an eligible student ONLY after we determine that the student has met SAP for the payment period. If a student fails to meet SAP, they will receive an email from the financial aid office stating they have lost eligibility. The email used when filling out the FAFSA will be the email used to contact the student and receive official communication.


III. MAXIMUM TIME FRAME FOR DEGREE COMPLETION

Students must complete their degree program within an allotted period to remain eligible for financial aid. The chart below indicates the time frame in which a degree must be acquired. Be aware that hour limits are cumulative; therefore, all hours from all institutions attended will be included, even if a student did not receive federal student aid. The Financial Aid Office recommends that students who have attempted 30 or more hours have a degree check completed in the Admission Office to ensure they are taking the courses necessary for their degree. For financial aid purposes grades of A, B, C, D, F, P, S, W, AW, WP, WF, I, N, NA, NP, X, and U are all considered attempted hours and will be counted towards maximum time frame.
Remedial classes will be counted towards the 150% maximum allowable timeframe, and will be considered in the review of SAP.
Once students reach their maximum period for their specified degree, they are no longer eligible for federal student aid.


Attempted Hours
Allowed for Earning a Degree

53 hours-One year Certificate

90 hours First Associate’s Degree

180 hours for Additional Coursework for Second Degree (if approved)

108 hours – Nursing Degree


Incomplete Classes

 

Incomplete classes will result in a grade of “I”, and will be considered the same as an “F” when evaluating SAP. A student MUST do the work to complete the class in order for the “I” to be changed to an actual letter grade (A, B, C, D, or F) by the last day to enroll in the following term. Grades of AW, WP, WF, and X will be considered the same as a “W”.


Repeated Coursework

 

Title IV funds
may only pay for
one repeat of a previously passed course
.

 


Satisfactory Academic Progress Evaluation

 

Satisfactory Academic Progress is evaluated at the conclusion of each academic semester after grades have been posted. All attempted and transfer hours are counted during this evaluation.





Financial Aid Warning


Financial Aid WARNING occurs the first time when a student fails to meet SAP within one 12 hour semester.

Students who fail to meet minimum requirements at the end of a semester will be placed on a


Financial Aid Warning the first time

. Any student on
Financial Aid
Warning may continue to receive assistance under the Title IV, HEA programs for one payment period only.

 

At the end of that semester if the student has met the minimum grade and attendance requirement the student is considered to be meeting SAP.

 

SUSPENSION will occur if a student fails to meet any of the SAP requirements and cannot reestablish SAP within one 12 hour semester. Suspension also occurs if a student fails to meet the terms of his or her

Financial Aid Probation
 and/or academic plan. Students cannot receive funds from the aid programs listed above while suspended. (SEE APPEAL OF SUSPENSION)

If the student is not meeting SAP at the end of the Financial Aid Warning Period; there will be a loss of Title IV, HEA eligibility;
with the right to appeal. The student will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension, with a


loss

of Title IV, HEA funding and will be required to meet specific criteria of an academic plan to assist them in regaining SAP and Title IV, HEA eligibility.

 

During this period (semester) the student will not be eligible to receive Title IV, HEA funds but he/she may continue on a cash pay basis with an approved payment plan. Arrangements for payment should be completed on or before the first day of the semester.

 


Appeal Procedures


OF SUSPENSION

 

A student who loses their financial aid eligibility due to not making SAP at the end of a financial aid warning has the right to file an appeal regarding their SAP Evaluations.

 

A student who wishes to appeal his or her

Financial Aid Suspension
 and loss of Title IV, HEA eligibility, and has extenuating circumstances may appeal a financial aid suspension, by submitting a typed appeal to the Financial Aid Office. Appeals must explain
in detail why the student failed to meet the minimum academic standards, what extenuating circumstances caused the failure, and how the situation has since improved. Examples of extenuating circumstances include illness, medical issues with immediate family members, or a death in the family.
Personal or financial issues with family, friends, or roommates are not considered extenuating circumstances.

 


A student’s typed appeal should include:

 

  1. The reason(s) why the student failed to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress.
  2. Supporting documentation that may be pertinent to the student’s appeal.
  3. A plan for success. (Details will be outlined in students suspension appeal sheet received from FA office).

 

The Financial Aid Office Appeals Committee will evaluate all documentation submitted and the student’s appeal will be approved or denied. The results of the appeal will be emailed/mailed to the student within approximately ten working days of the committee meeting.
If denied, the student is responsible for paying for their own educational costs until the student improves his/her scholastic record to meet the minimum standards. Students who were denied due to maximum time frame are responsible for paying for their own educational costs for the remainder of their degree program.

 


Financial Aid Probation

 

  1. A Student can be placed on Financial Aid Probation for one semester only.

Any student that prevails upon the appeal process shall be placed on
Financial Aid Probation and will be eligible to receive Title IV, HEA during this semester. A student placed on
Financial Aid Probation may receive Title IV, HEA program funds for that semester. While on Title IV, HEA Financial Aid Probation, the student must meet the institution’s SAP standards by the end of the semester.

 

  1. Students placed on Financial Aid Probation with an academic plan must complete the requirements of the Academic Plan by the end of the semester. The Academic Plan is developed by the institution to assist the student in regaining their Title IV, HEA eligibility in Eligibility by regaining SAP. The student’s approval email/letter will explain all requirements that must be met during his/her probationary period to continue to receive financial aid.

 

A student who fails to complete a single course or has a complete withdrawal from CSC after receiving financial aid may be automatically placed on suspension.

 

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY

 

Students are held responsible for reading and understanding the Satisfactory Academic Progress eligibility requirements and knowing their status at the end of each semester. If questions arise, contact the Financial Aid Office of at (918) 463-6310.

 

*Please note: Financial Aid Probation and Suspension are separate from ACADEMIC probation and suspension.*